Platte River Equity has acquired Tiger-Sul Products LLC, a maker of crop performance products for the agricultural and industrial sector, from H.J. Baker & Bro. Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The demand for suppliers in these areas is driving M&A activity in the agriculture sector. Tiger-Sul, headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, manufactures sulphur fertilizers and other crop performance chemicals for more than 50 years. H.J. Baker, an international agricultural manufacturer for the feed and fertilizer industries, purchased Tiger-Sul in 2005. As part of the deal, H.J. Baker has retained a minority equity stake in the target and Tiger-Sul is continuing to operate from its existing facilities in Atmore, Alabama, Stockton, California, Canada and China. Platte River, based in Denver, Colorado, is a private equity firm that typically invests up to $80 million in lower middle-market businesses with $40 million to $250 million in enterprise values. The PE firm invested in Tiger-Sul with capital from its third fund, Platte River Equity III L.P., and this marks as the firm’s first acquisition in the agricultural sector since 2007. Platte River previously acquired CTS Engines, bought industrial tool manufacturer Jameson LLC, and invested in hoist maker Huskie Tools. The firm targets industries including: aerospace and transportation, energy and industrial, agricultural and chemicals, metals and minerals. Agriculture and specialty chemical businesses have driven many middle-market acquisitions. Related deals include: Advent International is acquiring chemicals producer Viakem SA de CV; Bayer AG making an unsolicited bid for Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON); Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. merging to form a $130 billion chemical company; FMC Corp.’s (NYSE: FMC) completed purchase of Cheminova; Platform Specialty Productions Corp.’s (NYSE: PAH) purchase of Chemtura Corp.’s agrochemicals business; and Lariat Partners made an investment in crop protection company Willowood USA.